Critical Mass
by Lieutenant Caine
Summary: Sometimes even he needs a shoulder to lean on.
1. Chapter 1

**Critical Mass**

Exhaustion clawed at his insides, tearing him from within, lacerating his soul, and leaving him with a precarious grip on his control. Weeks of relentless stress and brushes with death weakened his hold on his flawless self-discipline so that he was left feeling vulnerable and exposed, a feeling he did not welcome in the least. But the demands of the job stripped him of his right to be tired, so he continued, day in and day out. No one saw it physically. If they had seen it they wouldn't have believed it. On the outside he was still the same Horatio Caine; dark suit coat and slacks, dark blue or black stripped shirt, no tie, sunglasses covering intense blue eyes, jaw set sternly, and shoulders thrown back, bearing the staggering weight of command and leadership with apparent ease. On the inside he was nearing critical mass.

Closing the file he was reading, Horatio ran a hand across his aching forehead, a hand that trembled slightly. The small tremor sent a frown flitting across his face and the lines around his eyes and mouth deepened. He stood and reached for his coffee cup, refilling it from the coffee pot that sat on top of the mini-fridge in the corner of his office. Three times he'd drained the 6 cup pot, each time promising himself that it would be the last cup he'd have for the day. Such was not to be. Each new twist and turn in the case they were working on sent him back to the well until his nerves were so strung out with caffeine that he could no longer control the rebellious impulses of his body. Forcing his attention back to the file, he tried to read and failed miserably. The words danced on the page and the top of his desk seemed to undulate beneath the paper. A groan rumbled from his chest and he closed his eyes and laid his head down on his desk in a stunning show of fatigue.

It was into this shocking scene that Calleigh Duquesne stepped quietly, needing a signature on a ballistics report she had just finished. The sight of Horatio, head down and groaning in apparent pain, sent concern screaming through her veins. Quickly laying the sheaf of papers down on his desk she knelt beside the massive leather chair he occupied and spoke softly to him.

"Horatio. Horatio what's wrong? Let me help you."

Her soft voice jerked his head up like a shot and he fixed weary eyes on her beautiful face. _Solace_, his mind whispered and he grasped at the possibility of relief like a drowning man clutches a life preserver.

His next move stunned Calleigh.

Horatio reached out a trembling hand and curved it behind her neck, pulling her toward him slowly, but with definite purpose.

"Horatio?" Calleigh asked, still softly. She neither resisted nor encouraged his touch.

The look in his eye was one she'd seen only once before and then he'd almost ended up in the hospital, worn out, run down and entirely exhausted to the point of physical collapse.

"How long has it been since you've slept, Horatio?" Calleigh whispered, allowing him to pull her closer to his face, until they were forhead to forhead, his warm breath caressing her softly.

His voice was ragged and almost unrecognizable when he spoke. "I don't remember the last time I slept, Calleigh."

Moving carefully so as not to startle him Calleigh shifted her weight and stood carefully. His hand fell away from her neck and he stared at her, almost in a stupor. She looked down at him for a moment, and then made a snap decision. Quickly she pulled his jacket from the coat tree by the door, and helping him to stand, she slipped it on him, handling him much like a mother with a baby. He was passive, totally pliant to her touch and she knew it was only a matter of time before he went down completely and she'd have a problem on her hands. She had to get home in a hurry.

"Okay, Handsome, let's go. You're coming home with me and you're going to rest."

"Need to finish that file," he slurred.

"No, you need to sleep, Horatio Caine," she said, slipping an arm around his waist and leading him to the door of his office.

If she had never believed in miracles before, she firmly believed in them after their trip to the parking garage and her car. They hadn't passed a single soul on the way out of the building. Muttering a quiet thanks to whomever arranged that bit of magic, she manhandled the sagging Lieutenant into the front seat of her Mercedes and buckled his seat belt. Then she sprang in to the driver's seat, backed out and headed for home.

At the front door, Calleigh had an enormous task in holding him steady while she fished her keys from her purse. His weight bore heavily on her slender frame and she only barely managed to unlock the door and maneuver him through before she had to shift slightly and let him rest against the wall. The living room with its overstuffed leather couch beckoned to her, but she bypassed that option and led Horatio down the hall toward her bedroom. If he was in her room, she could watch out for him she figured. He stood meekly, swaying unsteadily while Calleigh set about undressing him. She slipped his jacket off his arms and tossed it over a chair, unbuttoned his silk shirt, savoring the silky slide across her skin as she folded it neatly and placed it on the chair with his jacket, finally she unbuckled his belt and slid it from the belt loops. Holding him firmly to keep him from collapsing she managaed an impressive one handed job of turning down the covers on the bed. Then gently placing one hand on his chest, she pushed him down to sit on the edge of the bed. He looked up into her face and asked her in a quiet mumble, "Why..are…you doing this for me?"

"We are a family, Horatio and family takes care of each other when they need help."

He seemed to take her answer as sensible and with no further prodding, he lay back on the bed and closed his eyes. Before he could fall sound asleep, Calleigh lifted his legs up onto the bed, took off his shoes, and without the slightest hesitation unbuttoned and unzipped his slacks and slid them down his legs. Then she arranged the pillow under his head and smoothed back a wayward lock of his fiery hair. By the time she was finished, his breathing was slow and shallow, and Horatio Caine was dead to the world.

"Rest well, Handsome," Calleigh whispered, bending down and brushing a soft kiss over his forehead.

Then she turned out the lights and closed the door carefully behind her.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

Sleep released its hold on the slumbering man by slow increments. He stirred slightly, groaned but then drifted toward sleep again only to float back toward consciousness, beckoned relentlessly by the tantalizing smell of…coffee? Coffee? Awareness rushed at him and he stiffened as his eyes fluttered open and he saw a slow turning fan describing lazy arcs against the textured whiteness of an unfamiliar ceiling. The clean fragrance of freshly washed linens teased him as he moved his head slightly to the right, seeking something that would identify his location. _Where am I? And why aren't I at work? I only laid my head down for a moment and I wake up to find myself in a strange place. Must have been farther gone than I realized. _He sat up then and confusion metamorphosed into embarrassment as he realized he was clad only in his boxers. Someone had undressed him and put him to bed. But where was he? Letting his eyes scan the room quickly he made the startling discovery that the personality of the décor was definitely feminine in nature, further adding to his consternation. He flung back the covers and eased his legs out of bed. His feet hit the floor with a quiet thud and sank deep into soft, plush carpet.

Spying his clothes folded neatly over the back of a chair and his badge and gun lying on the bedside table, he stood and reached for his shirt. At that moment the door opened and he snatched his gun from the holster, thumbed off the safety and took a shooter's stance, all in one smooth motion.

"Easy, Handsome. I won't hurt you."

The lilting sound of Calleigh's voice shocked him into complete immobility and he just stood there, his gun pointed at her, staring at the lovely sight.

"You know, I figured you'd be a little irritated at me for abducting you like this, but I never thought you'd pull your gun on me." A silvery laugh accompanied her words and she stepped up to him and calmly took the weapon from him and laid it back down on the nightstand.

Finally Horatio's brain caught up to the evidence that his eyes displayed before him and he spoke.

"Calleigh? What…How…" He stopped, realizing he was making no sense at all and resumed staring at her.

"My, aren't you articulate in the mornings?" She teased lightly. "Want some coffee?"

"Coffee?" he repeated. He was still trying to assimilate the shocking discovery that he had awakened in Calleigh's home, in her bed, dressed in nothing but his boxers.

"Yes coffee, Handsome. You know. Thick, dark, hot, caffeinated liquid that helps clear the cobwebs after a good night and half a day's sleep. You get dressed and I'll go pour you a cup of coffee. Do you want breakfast or lunch?"

"What time is it?" he asked, as the fog of disorientation began to lift.

"It's almost noon," Calleigh answered brightly.

"Lunch then, I guess. Do I have time for a shower first?"

"Of course. Take your time."

Calleigh turned and headed back out the door, leaving Horatio to wonder just how the petite blonde had managed to strip him down to his underwear and manhandle him into the bed without his knowing it. Then his brain seized on another startling possibility. _If she undressed me and put me to bed did she..._ his eyes flew to the second pillow on the other side of the king side bed and he colored deep red to the roots of his hair when he saw the slight indention in the pillow. Calleigh had slept with him. He had slept with his ballistics expert. They had slept together, and he in his underwear. "Oh my..." he grumbled to himself. "This could be awkward." His grumble turned into a self-depricating chuckle after a moment when he thought about the irony of the situation. He'd been in love with her for years; had dreamed of the heaven of her arms; had wondered how sweet her kisses would be. Apparently he'd been in the perfect situation to find out and he'd been too out of it to know. Shaking his head in wry amusement, he climbed into the shower, set it as hot as he could stand it, and scrubbed his skin until it glowed pink, then stepped out, dried and dressed himself.

Having never been in Calleigh's home before, he followed the leading of his nose as he appreciatively sniffed out the tantilizing smell of lunch coming from somewhere just ahead. Another several steps and he found himself in a bright, sunny kitchen. Calleigh stood at the counter, pouring glasses of what looked like guava juice. At his entrance to the kitchen she turned and beamed her killer smile at him and Horatio felt his heart race. This was the scene his heart and mind had painted for him millions of times before...Calleigh, with a gorgeous smile on her lips and a glad light in her eyes greeting him at the start of the day. He couldn't help but smile back at her, couldn't help but let his heart shine through in his gaze.

"Need some help?" he asked, stepping close to her and inhaling the soft fragrance of jasmine that clung to her golden hair. His hands ached to tangle themselves in those soft strands, and he felt absurdly jealous of the one rebellious lock that kept falling down to caress her cheek.

"You take the plates and I'll get the drinks. Your coffee is already on the table."

"Mmmm. You had me at coffee," he teased.

"Charmer." Calleigh quipped.

"Beautiful." Horatio shot back.

"Feeling feisty aren't you, Lieutenant?"

"Sweetheart, you have no idea."

Her laughter intoxicated him. At least that was his excuse to himself as he reached out, took the drinks from her hands, set them back on the counter and then pulled a very surprised Calleigh into his arms and covered her lips in a deep, hungry kiss.

**TBC...**


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

When Horatio finally broke the kiss, Calleigh was breathless, her heart racing and her mind whirling. She forced her eyes open ( Open? She never remembered closing them.) and looked up into the sparkling blue of Horatio's gaze. A tender smile curved his lips and he winked at her.

"Sweet heaven above, Horatio. Where did that come from?" She finally managed to ask as her hands wandered over his chest seemingly of their own accord. Horatio captured one of them and raised it to his lips, kissing it softly.

"Hmmm…" His low, soft laugh sent shivers dancing over her skin in the most delicious way. "I've been wanting to do that for years now, Sweetheart. This seemed as good a time as any."

"Oh, do tell." Her brilliant wit was returning and with it the realization that she had no inclination to leave his arms. It felt too right.

"Fishing for compliments, are you?" he chuckled.

"Do I have to fish?"

"Never, Beautiful."

Again his mouth claimed hers and this time, Calleigh gladly welcomed the gentle probing of his tongue, allowing him to slide in deep, caressing and stroking until she was almost incapable of standing on her own two feet.

This time it was Calleigh who pulled back from the heated embrace.

A delighted grin spread across her gorgeous face and she laughed outright.

"Horatio Caine, you never told me you were this enthusiastic in the mornings. Here I have worked with you all these years and though you hated mornings."

"Yes, well…It all depends on who I wake up with."

"Now who's fishing?" Calleigh teased.

"Calleigh…" he growled out a soft warning, and then carefully moved her out of his arms and away from his body.

"Handsome…" she protested, trying to move back into his embrace again, but he resisted the temptation of her lips.

"Calleigh…this isn't just about wanting you physically, although I've taken many a cold shower on your account."

"Horatio!" Calleigh blushed deep red and averted her eyes from his.

"Oh, no, you don't, Sweetheart. Look at me."

She raised her eyes to his again and felt heat of embarrassment turn into heat of another sort.

"Horatio, I never…I never meant to…I never knew," she finished lamely.

"Not your fault, Sweetheart. You can't help being the most beautiful and intelligent female that lab has ever seen, not to mention sexy as sin."

Her indrawn gasp of surprise at his blatant compliment pulled a laugh from his throat. The sound hit her system like a narcotic and she closed her eyes, savoring the rich tones of his voice.

"Calleigh, hear me, Sweetheart. I love you. I have for years, but I've never had the opportunity or the time to act on those feelings." He smoothed back a lock of her golden hair. "You've given me the opportunity, and I intend to create the time for us…if you want this like I do."

Calleigh realized in that instant that she held the heart of the formidable Lieutenant Horatio Caine in her small hands to do with as she pleased. The feeling was almost overwhelming in its intensity.

"Horatio…I…" her voice failed her, but her eyes spoke anyway, telegraphing her answer straight to his heart.

"Sweetheart, are you…are you sure?"

She could only manage a nod and not even a full one before Horatio pulled her back into his arms and took her breath away with another scorching kiss. Then he swept her up into the strong cradle of his arms and carried her back down the hall toward the bedroom.

XXXXXXXXXXXX

The quiche and coffee sat silent and cold on the table undisturbed and untouched.

**A/N I am not terribly happy with this ending, but the prescription I am having to take for the bronchitis I developed has my brain a bit on the fuzzy side. I hope it's not too disappointing.**

**Cal my love, glad you are home. Rest, Sweetheart. I will do the same. **

**Your rather groggy, but still adoring H.**


End file.
